When I was considering what I wanted to exhibit in a hometown show, I reflected on my feelings about Whitehorse. Since my mom's death, memories of that place are distinctly bittersweet. Bitter, the loss of a loved one and the growing distance between myself and childhood. Sweet, the memories of so many firsts and the beauty of the territory my parents chose. The intensity of all these mingling feelings led me to the title, That Crackle.

That Crackle evokes the feeling before a summer storm or the crisp sound of a campfire, as well as the sense that winter is on its way. It conjures memories of people and times now gone. In painting, I feel that crackle when complimentary colours vibrate side-by-side, with the contrast of black and white, and when shapes and lines have loose, spontaneous energy.

These are the qualities I tried to create in this body of work. The series can be seen at Rah Rah Gallery, 6159 6th Avenue in Whitehorse until October 12, and then they will be in Powell River for the Sunshine Coast Art Crawl, where I'll be exhibiting with other local artists at the new art space, Dancing Tree Gallery, at Crossroads Village.